C.A.R.S

Clean Air Responsible Schools

A school-based citizen science action project!

Applications are now open for the 2019-2020 school year!

Connecting to Inside Education’s Climate Change Education Initiatives and the Alberta Program of Studies, the C.A.R.S. program aims to develop understanding about air quality, emissions, and climate change. With an emphasis on personal action and citizen science, this class-based project will engage students in a local stewardship action while contributing meaningful data to a nation-wide citizen science campaign!

What’s involved?

1. An Inside Education Classroom Presentation

Using our award-winning, hands-on approach for classroom programming a professional educator will visit with your students and lead them through an interactive session that provides a local air quality and climate change knowledge to build upon the Grade 5 Weather Unit.

2. Easy to use materials to collect school-based air quality data

Participating schools will be guided through a schoolyard activity using an airbeam monitoring device that contributes data to air quality experts. Schools will also be provided extension activities to collect further air quality data as well as the opportunity to enhance the experience by borrowing an AirBeam monitoring device. By collecting and downloading the data your school is contributing to a North American citizen science initiative!Check out the map.

3. A student-led education & stewardship campaign

As a culminating activity of the program, each class/school will be encouraged to implement an education campaign in their school (ie: idle-free posters, a presentation to another class, short video etc.) to share the knowledge they gained while studying climate change and local air quality. Inside Education will create a showcase of the projects to present to local air shed groups to celebrate clean air day during environment week!

Need some inspiration? Have a look at the CARS stewardship campaign that made by Victoria School of the Arts.

Inside Education support throughout the program including a professional development opportunity!

This half-day workshop is designed to enrich the in-school component of the citizen science program. You will meet with local air quality groups, tour a monitoring site and dig deeper into the connections between weather, air quality, and climate change.

Mark your calendars!

October 29, 2019 – Fort McMurray: Open to teachers in the Municipal District of Wood Buffalo

Fall 2019 – Fort Saskatchewan

January 24, 2020 – Edmonton: Open to teachers from Northern Alberta & Northeast British Columbia